Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1986 (750ML)

95 Points, Neal Martin, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: "Now at 30 years of age, there is a gulf between the two Pichons in this vintage that no longer exists. The 1986 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande has long been one of the best wines from the estate alongside the 1982 (even if the first bottle was a little oxidized). The second bottle was representative. It has a classic pencil-lead, cedar-infused nose that rockets from the glass, a subtle floral note developing with time. The palate is medium-bodied with supple red berry fruit, a pinch of white pepper and cedar, structured compared to coeval vintages and perhaps further along its drinking plateau than previous examples. Certainly à point, I would be reaching for bottles of this now if you cannot locate those 1982s, or alternatively seek out the superlative 1996. This still remains a fine, rather regal Pichon-Lalande. Tasted July 2016." 12/16

95 Points, Neal Martin, Vinous: "The 1986 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a vintage I have tasted several times, including at the château, but this bottle is one of the best I have encountered. It has a vibrant nose of blackberry intermixed with cedar and a light ferrous note, perhaps even a suggestion of paprika as it moves into its secondary phase. Showing plenty of undergrowth, the bouquet coheres beautifully in the glass as subtle clove aromas manifest over time. The palate is fresh and lively with black fruit aplenty and quite strict tannins that lend it an off-dry feel. One of the most saline bottles I can remember, this example displays exquisite delineation and a slightly softer landing than the bottle I tasted several years ago. Outstanding. Tasted at the château." 04/26